633 



I am Patricia Bickaf. 1 came to Sitka in 1960 with my 

 husband, Oliver, or better known as Porky, and our two children. At 

 that time he was a busheler, or faller, for Barton t Reynvaan 

 Logging, based in Katlian Bay. In 1964 the operation in Katlian was 

 completed and rather than return to Washington, we decided to stay 

 in Sitka. We had established our home here, our two older children 

 were in school, we had a new baby, and friends had been made. We 

 had learned to love Sitka and we didn't want to leave so Oliver then 

 started his own business, Porky's Equipment, and we have operated it 

 for the last 25 years. 



Because we have made this our home we are very interested in 

 the future of Sitka. I was a teacher here for twenty years until I 

 retired two years ago. Our children went through school here. We 

 feel that the quality of education here has been excellent. Our 

 oldest went on to get his doctorate in biochemistry and teaches and 

 does research in the east. However, he still has ties here as he 

 owns two duplexes which are rented out. He invested in the property 

 while still in high school. Our daughter works at APC in the lab 

 and owns a duplex, living in one of the units and renting out the 

 other. Our youngest son built his house here and has gone into 

 business with his dad. In addition to the business we own several 

 rentals. Four of the rentals are occupied by local business, an 

 auto parts store, a restaurant, a liquor store, and a building 

 contractor. Six units are apartments. 



As you can see our future here depends on the economy of 

 Sitka. Porky and I are semi-retired and our income is mainly 

 dependent on the rentals. Our daughter's job at APC directly 

 depends on the future of the mill. Our youngest son/ opportunities 

 for work in the family business depends on a thriving community. 



If APC is forced to close its mill, or even curtail its 

 productivity, we are going to lose people. Every member of our 

 family will be directly effected. Porky's Equipment will have fewer 

 people to need our services, our rentals will be less in demand. 

 Our incomes will go down and our expenses will go up. Taxes and 

 electrical rates are just two examples of expenses that will jump if 

 we don't have the mill here in Sitka. 



The economy effects everyone indirectly also. Our schools, 

 which have been excellent, will have trouble financing the programs 

 which we have come to expect. Fewer students will mean less funding 

 from the state. New buildings have been constructed to handle our 

 current student population, we do not want to see them half filled 

 and half paid for. 



Twenty five years ago we gambled our existence on the economy 

 of Sitka when we decided to stay here. We had fallen in love with 

 the beauty, the friendliness and the opportunity Sitka afforded us. 

 We staked everything in starting a business here. We have never 

 been sorry. Our children all have a stake in the future of Sitka 

 and time will tell if our grandchildren want to continue their life 

 here. We have no desire to live anywhere else but do give us the 

 opportunity to have that future in Sitka by the Sea. I do strongly 

 urge you to support Senator Murkowski's Senate bill 237. 



